LIANZA SLANZA Tertiary Grants update

SLANZA are excited to share the following update on the Tertiary Grants fund: 

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LIANZA SLANZA TERTIARY GRANTS 
Update February 2024 
Three funding rounds over 2022 and 2023 have provided grants to over 130 students to complete library and information qualifications. With 97 applications received in the October 2023 round of funding, 54 applications were successful. Over 50% of the grant recipients in this funding round are already working in or expected to work in school libraries. 
 
The total NZLPP-funded amount of $ 1.5 million has now been allocated, and no more funding rounds will be held. 
 
Students will complete undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications at Open Polytechnic Te Pūkenga, Te Wānanga o Raukawa, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington. The final group of successful applicants are expected to complete their studies in 2028. 
 
Of the grant recipients across all three rounds, around 25% are new to the library and information sector, and around 25% identify as Māori or Pasifika. 
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Congratulations to all the recipients who took this incredible opportunity to study tertiary courses in Library studies for free.  
In November 2020, SLANZA was one of nine organisations invited to submit funding proposals from the New Zealand Libraries Partnership Programme’s strategic partnership grants (NZLPP). These grants were offered as a response to Covid-19 to support the upskilling and strengthening of the library sector.  
In our proposal to seek tertiary funding support for school librarians, we emphasised that by removing the barrier of tuition costs, the initiative would enable equitable access to library and information qualifications. When assessing applicants for these grant rounds, it became obvious how school librarians were adversely affected by the costs of tertiary courses. Therefore, offering free library courses is a huge benefit to our sector, and we are thrilled to have achieved this. 
Find out more about the LIANZA SLANZA Tertiary Grants project here. 
The tertiary funding proposal presented to NZLPP also stated these outcomes: 
Knowledge, capabilities and confidence gained through tertiary qualifications will strengthen our school library sector, enabling graduates to manage a high-functioning school library that will positively impact student learning and well-being in literacy and information literacy, web evaluation and critical thinking skills. This will improve literacy levels and digital skills capabilities to benefit the country. 
Feedback and experiences shared by recipients have highlighted their increased knowledge, capabilities and confidence. The benefits are shown for their schools and themselves. This is a valuable outcome of these tertiary grants. 
Lastly, the tertiary funding proposal expressed that a strengthened sector workforce will raise the profile of the vital role of school librarians in Aotearoa schools. Graduates of these grants will be equipped with the skills and knowledge to effectively manage school libraries, thereby elevating the standards and perceptions of our profession.  

This is very rewarding for National Executive members working towards these outcomes from 2020. We wish all the recipients of these LIANZA SLANZA Tertiary Grants the best with their studies. 
We thank Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa National Library of New Zealand for supporting our sector with these tertiary grants and LIANZA for partnering with us to achieve these fantastic outcomes. 

Recipient Victoria Elisara. Credit V. Elisara